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on July 7, the man and woman allegedly engaged the 37-year-old victim in a verbal dispute on the Select Bus before hitting him with a glass bottle numerous times in the head, causing lacerations, according to police.
Photos
Cops Chasing Couple that Allegedly Attacked Man on Q53 Bus in Woodhaven
By Michael V. Cusenza
Police are still pursuing a pair of alleged perps who viciously attacked a fellow Q53 commuter in Woodhaven.
On July 7, at approx 1:30 p.m., a 37-yearold victim was on a Q53 bus approaching 101st Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard when a man and a woman engaged him in a verbal dispute before hitting him with a glass bottle numerous times in the head causing lacerations, NYPD officials said prior to releasing screenshots of the alleged
fugitives who remained on the run as of Wednesday evening.
State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Woodhaven) decried the assault.
“I am deeply disturbed by the brutal attack on a 37-year-old man aboard an MTA Q53 bus in Woodhaven. This senseless act of violence, during which the victim was hit in the head multiple times with a glass bottle, is reprehensible and has no place in our community. My thoughts are with the victim as he recovers from this traumatic incident,” the senator said.
“I want to commend the swift response of the 102nd Precinct. There is video footage of the suspects that the police have made public in an attempt to identify the couple who allegedly perpetrated the incident. I urge anyone with information about the suspects to come forward and assist law enforcement in their investigation.
“Our law enforcement officers work tirelessly to keep our streets safe, and their dedication to serving and protecting our communities is truly commendable. I be-
lieve government must be vigilant in ensuring the safety and security of passengers using public transportation.
“Violence of any kind is unacceptable, and we must stand together as a community to condemn such behavior. Let us all work together to create a safer and more peaceful environment for everyone in our city,” Addabbo added.
Do you know the alleged assailants? If so, send a direct message to @NYPDTips, or call 800-577-TIPS (8477). All correspondences are anonymous.
Union Contracts and Benefi ts Bills Signed into Law
By Forum Staff
Governor Kathy Hochul recently signed into law four bills crafted by Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Howard Beach) that will impact union contracts and benefits for governmental employees.
The civil service personnel that will be affected by the new package of laws include:
• Agency Police Services Unit, including those who work as university police officers and investigators, environmental conservation officers and investigators, park patrol officers, and forest rangers
• New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association
• Security Supervisors Unit, including supervisory security personnel including correction lieutenant, security hospital supervising treatment assistant, chief safety and security officers
• Rent Regulation Services Unit, such as rent examiners and inspectors, office assistant, and attorneys and assist in the administration of New York City rent control and stabilization
Through this legislation, employees who work in these roles will receive a salary increase and defined health benefits, as will their families. Due to preexisting statutes, these contracts were required to go through the full legislative process, including being voted on by the full State Legislature. Three of the bills focused on bene-
fiting law enforcement officers and public safety workers, including workers like State Correctional Officers, State Parks Police and University Police, and hospital security officers. The package also authorized the contract for those who work as rent examiners and inspectors across the five boroughs.
“Governmental employees keep our State moving forward. By introducing and passing legislation that solidified the union contracts for correctional officers, certain police officers, security officers, along with those who administer rent control and stabilization, these workers and their families will get the benefits they deserve, while New Yorkers get the protection and service they deserve,” Pheffer Amato said.
Courtesy of NYPD
The alleged male perpetrator.
Courtesy of NYPD The alleged female assailant.
Photo Courtesy of Google
The attack occurred on the Q53 bus as it approached 101st Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard.
Forum Photo by Michael V. Cusenza
Three of the bills focused on benefiting law enforcement officers and public safety workers, like Police Officer Christian Astudillo.
Photo Courtesy of Assemblywoman Pheffer Amato “Governmental employees keep our State moving forward,” Assemblywoman Pheffer Amato said.
Hurricane Season Expected to Set Records
By Michael V. Cusenza
Superstorm Sandy survivors: avert your eyes.
Forecasters expect 17 to 25 hurricanes and tropical storms to form in the Atlantic Ocean between June 1 and the end of November. At least eight of those are forecast to be full-blown hurricanes, as opposed to weaker tropical storms. And four to seven are expected to be major hurricanes, with winds powerful enough to uproot trees, destroy mobile homes and damage other buildings, according to a National Public Radio report.
City Comptroller Brad Lander—newly minted mayoral candidate—indicated on Saturday that he’s bracing for the worst—and Big Apple leaders should do the same.
“My office is monitoring a few key preparedness indicators through November 2024 to assess the City’s ongoing readiness for severe storms. We just sent a letter to Mayor Adams requesting more information about these indicators,” Lander said.
This is what the comptroller is keeping an eye on:
Enrollment in Notify NYC
Notify NYC is the main way to broadcast emergency weather alerts. But only 2.7 percent of New Yorkers over 16 years old are enrolled. The City needs to set and meet goals to dramatically increase enrollment in Notify NYC, and I’ll be watching to see how many New Yorkers are added. Sign up for Notify NYC here: https://a858-nycnotify. nyc.gov/notifynyc/?emci=a395422e-b34b-ef1186c3-6045bdd9e096&emdi=2c651705-184cef11-86c3-6045bdd9e096&ceid=1232603
Enrollment in Basement Emergency Alerts
After Hurricane Ida laid bare the unique vulnerability of basement residents to flash flooding, a new basement emergency notification list was created. But less than 1 percent of basement residents have subscribed. I’m monitoring the number of New Yorkers signed up for the basement emergency notification list to ensure that life-saving alerts reach as many people as possible.
Catch Basin Cleaning
Catch basins – the connection from storm grates to sewers – are essential for draining rainfall from the streets. When catch basins are clogged with debris, it leads to dangerous flooding on our streets and sidewalks. During Tropical Storm Ophelia, 63 percent of the City’s catch basin cleaning trucks were out of service, leaving just 19 trucks to cover all 153,000 catch basins across the five boroughs.
In addition to tracking the availability of catch basin cleaning trucks, I’m monitoring the City’s progress in updating catch basins with designs that reduce clogging. Learn how to stay safe during a flash flood here: nyc.gov/site/em/ready/flooding. page?emci=a395422e-b34b-ef11-86c36045bdd9e096&emdi=2c651705-184c-ef1186c3-6045bdd9e096&ceid=1232603
Coastal Flood Protection
After Sandy devastated NYC in 2012, the City received $15 billion in federal funds to rebuild damaged infrastructure more resiliently. A decade later, 27 percent of those funds had yet to be spent. We must move faster to complete resilient capital projects if we are to keep up with the pace of climate change.
I’m watching the City’s progress on resilient infrastructure projects, and monitoring the capacity of the new Bureau of Coastal Protection. Learn whether you are in a hurricane evacuation zone here: maps.nyc.gov/ hurricane/?emci=a395422e-b34b-ef11-86c36045bdd9e096&emdi=2c651705-184c-ef1186c3-6045bdd9e096&ceid=1232603
“In order to weather the storm, our City needs management that will ensure our communities are resilient and prepared for the future. My office’s investigations into the Adams administration’s lack of preparedness for extreme rainfall, coastal storms, and extreme heat document the steps the City could take to become more prepared, but are currently failing to complete,” Lander concluded.
Taking
Stop worrying. Start
Photo Courtesy of NYC311
When catch basins are clogged with debris, it leads to dangerous flooding on our streets and sidewalks, Comptroller Lander said.
City Celebrates Shut Down of More than 750 Illegal Cannabis Shops since May
By Forum Staff
Since launching “Operation Padlock to Protect” — a multi-agency task force made up of members from the Sheriff’s Office, the NYPD, and City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection — the City has sealed a total of 779 illegal cannabis shops and issued 41,502 counts of violations amounting to $65,671,487 in penalties, Mayor Eric Adams, City Sheriff Anthony Miranda, City Police Commissioner Edward Caban, and DCWP Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga announced on Wednesday.
The administration estimates it has already seized a total value of $41,443,792 in illegal products. Over the month of July alone, “Operation Padlock to Protect” conducted several successful enforcement actions aimed at targeting the manufacturing, processing, and distribution networks of illegal cannabis suppliers across the five boroughs. These operations resulted in a combined $8 million of illegal products being taken off city streets, Hizzoner beamed.
“For too long, illegal shops have contributed to a feeling that anything goes on our streets, while targeting our most vulnerable — including children — with dangerous, counterfeit products marketed as candy,” Adams said. “But today, we are celebrating that this is no longer being tolerated and we are making huge gains to protect communi-
ties and usher in a legal cannabis market that will thrive. I thank Sheriff Miranda, Commissioner Caban, and Commissioner Mayuga for overseeing this highly successful enforcement operation. I also extend deep thanks to our partners in Albany, especially Governor Hochul, for giving us the legal authority we needed to stub out these illegal shops.”
“Operation Padlock to Protect” systematically conducts joint operations in neighborhoods across the five boroughs, which
include inspections and follow-up inspections. When operators are ordered to be sealed, local NYPD precincts monitor those locations to ensure compliance and alert the Sheriff’s Office when violations of the seal order occur.
“Time after time, we have found illegal cannabis shops selling dangerous counterfeit products that are directly marketed to children,” said Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. “These stores, which sell untaxed
and unregulated products, are the source of countless community complaints. Legal vendors are making safety and compliance their top priority and they shouldn’t be undercut by lawbreakers. Shutting these unlicensed stores down is a team effort, and I thank our partners at the Governor’s Office, the Mayor’s Office, the Sheriff’s Office, and the NYPD for their commitment to removing these illegal businesses from our communities.”
Adams noted that the legalization of cannabis is intended to create a new economy to emerge in the Empire State, while addressing the harmful impact of the “War on Drugs” on Black and Brown New Yorkers. For Gotham’s new cannabis economy and justice-involved businesses to thrive, the city and state must protect the development of the legal market. To do so, the Adams administration launched Cannabis NYC under the City Department of Small Business Services to provide free resources and services for all New Yorkers interested in the cannabis industry. Cannabis NYC has engaged over 5,000 New Yorkers on its five-borough “Lift Off! Cannabis NYC” public education, listening, and outreach tour and over 200 New Yorkers have participated in the FastTrac for Cannabis Entrepreneurs sessions, which connects legal cannabis business owners and entrepreneurs with free, highquality training and advice delivered by leading voices in the legal cannabis industry.
Photo Courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office The Adams administration estimates it has already seized a total value of $41,443,792 in illegal products.
City Launches ‘NYC Rat Pack’
By Forum Staff
Mayor Eric Adams and Citywide Director of Rodent Mitigation Kathy Corradi on Sunday launched the NYC Rat Pack.
“We’re really proud of the City’s efforts of going after public enemy number one, and those are those pesky rodents that are seen far too often,” Adams said at a Rat Pack event in Brooklyn. “Now we’re doing something new. We’re recruiting an entirely new generation of the Rat Pack. As was sung when I walked up, you don’t have to be Frank Sinatra in the crew. It’s just a different type of leader to fight the rats, and we want you to join up and become a member of our Rat Pack. You don’t need to sing.
“All you have to do to become a member, to be an official New York City Rat Pack member, and get the swag, the hat, the T-shirt to prove it, and the confidence to go after those pesky critters. You will have to attend a two-hour New York City Department of Health Rat Academy session that will give you real instructions on how to deal with rodents. Two, participate in New York City Service rat mitigation events. New York City Service is a real partner throughout the city. A lot of our corporate and community groups come together and go after those basic services in the city, and volunteerism is a real win. Three, go out on a rat walk, hosted by our city’s own rat czar, Kathy Corradi.
“Those three items will allow you to join and become a member of our Rat Pack, and you can be proud to lead your community to a rat-free en -
vironment. This is how we get it done, how to shut them down, and we want to keep it from happening again with rodents taking over the streets of our city. From cutting our rats’ food supplies to closing down rat havens, Rat Pack members will be able to defend their communities from rodents, and achieve our goal of making New York City the least rat-friendly city in America.”
According to Hizzoner, “Rat sightings, due to the work of the Department of Sanitation and what our rat czar has carried out in a very real, onthe-ground way have gone down 12 of the last 13 months, and our massive trash revolution strategy is getting millions of pounds of rat-attracting trash off our streets. In November, we will have a 70 percent containerization of our garbage, so those all-you-can-eat buffets are going to be off the streets that rats enjoy so much.”
Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Woodhaven) echoed, “Of course, it’s the trash revolution, so we are implementing full trash containerization across this city. Other cities around the world do it, Barcelona does it, Paris does it, Buenos Aires. If they can do it, we can do it. Gone are the days when the trash bags are sitting on the curb. It’s an all-you-can-eat buffet for the rats, but those days are over. We also have the Queens composting program that took the food scraps off the streets and that lowered the rat sightings by 55 percent. We are on the road to progress, and we are all here to say, as one united rat pack, that this is our city and this city does not belong to the rats.”
The Pharmacist’s Corner
Presented by Frank Pantina, R.Ph
ARE EXPIRED MEDICATIONS Still Safe?
It’s 2 a.m. -the cough and stuffy nose you have been battling is still keeping you up. You reach for the nighttime cold relief medicine only to find it expired a few months ago. If you take a dose to ease your symptoms, will you be putting yourself at risk? This situation is a relatively com¬mon occurrence. Many medicine cabinets are stocked with overthe-counter drugs as well as prescription medications that may be past their expiration dates. It’s a good idea to routinely discard expired medicines, but if you happen to take a drug that has passed its expiration date, you will most likely suffer no ill effects. According to the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide, the expiration date on a medicine is not the dates when a drug becomes hazardous. Rather, it marks the period of time after which a drug company can no longer guarantee the efficacy of the medication. Since 1979, drug manufac¬turers selling medications in the United States have been required by the Food and Drug Administration to stamp an expiration date on their products. This is the date until which the manufacturer can still guarantee full potency of the drug. Expiration dates also may be a marketing ploy. Some experts say drug manufactur¬ers put expiration dates on products for marketing purposes rather than scientific reasons. It doesn’t make
financial sense to a company to have products on the shelves for years. Therefore, most drug manufac¬turers will not do long-term testing on products to confirm if they will be effective 10 to 15 years after manufacture. The U.S. military has conducted studies with the help of the FDA. FDA research¬ers tested more than 100 over-the-counter and prescription drugs. Around 90 percent were proven to still be effective long past the expiration date -- some for more than 10 years. Drugs that are stored in cool, dark places have a better chance of lasting because the fillers used in the product will not separate or start to break down as they might in a warm, humid environment. Storing medicines in the refrigerator can prolong their shelf life. Although a pharma¬cist cannot legally advise consumers to use medication past an expiration date, most over-the-counter pain relievers and drugs in pill form should still be fine. Certain liquid antibiotics and drugs made up of organic materials can expire faster than others. For those who still want to err on the safe side, routinely clean out medica¬tions from cabinets once they expire. How¬ever, if an expired medication is taken by mistake, there's little need to worry about potentially adverse effects.
Until Next Week…
NYPD Preps Community for New Borough Precinct
The City Police Department’s Patrol Borough Queens South division on Monday hosted a public forum at PS/IS 270 in Laurelton in preparation for the opening of the newest 116th Precinct, which will serve residents of Southeast Queens. The attendees had the opportunity to meet the NYPD executive candidates who are in the running to serve as their newest commanding officer.
The 116 will be located at 244-04 North Conduit Ave. in Rosedale. It’s the City’s first new precinct since 2013, and the result of decades of advocacy from committed community groups in the area, which had previously been served by just one command (105th Precinct) in the 265-mile stretch of blocks from Middle Village to John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Police brass on Monday promised residents that the 116 will open before the end of the year.
Photo Courtesy of NYPD
Photo Courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office
The City launched NYC Rat Pack on Sunday in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
Speaker, City Council Members Excoriate Mayor on ‘Sham’ Charter Revision Commission
By Michael V. Cusenza
It seems like it was just yesterday that Mayor Eric Adams and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams were beaming and embracing at City Hall after arriving at an agreement on the $112.4 billion Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2025.
But that was June.
On Tuesday, July 22, more than a dozen representatives of the City’s legislative body attended the final public meeting of the Charter Revision Commission at Queens Public Library’s Central branch in Jamaica.
Each Gotham lawmaker testified. As the Queens Daily Eagle noted, “The main argument from the councilmembers is that the existence of the commission’s [16 proposed changes to the City Charter] undermine their ability to put their own ballot measure in place this November. The proposal in question is known as the ‘adviceand-consent’ bill, and would essentially give the council the ability to weigh in on a number of mayoral appointees.”
According to the City Council, “Adviceand-consent is a well-established safeguard of democracy to ensure government prioritizes the public interest rather than those of individuals, which has long been used in many of the nation’s cities and state governments, making New York City an outlier. Advice-and-consent can strengthen the city’s government and representative democracy by ensuring that the appointments for agency commissioners are based on qualifications and the public’s interests, rather than political loyalty or other motivations.”
Stunningly, less than 24 hours after the Jamaica Library event, the commission released its final proposed changes to the charter, also known as NYC’s constitution. The CRC unanimously voted to approve ballot proposals for the upcoming November election.
“On behalf of 8.3 million New Yorkers, I want to thank the distinguished members of this Charter Revision Commission for volunteering their service to our city. This dedicated group of veteran civil servants, former elected officials, community activists, and religious and business leaders brought their vast experience and diverse voices to the table to ensure that our city is working as efficiently as possible for all its residents and delivering a city government that reflects the needs and aspirations of millions of working-class New Yorkers,” Mayor Adams said. “This commission carefully examined our city’s charter, heard from residents across all five boroughs, and approved thoughtful ballot proposals regarding cleaner streets, fiscal responsibility, public safety, capital planning, and minority- and women-owned business enterprises that their fellow New Yorkers will have the opportunity to vote on when they flip their ballots this November.”
Speaker Adams and an overwhelming amount of councilmembers were livid.
“There is no sound reason to shortcircuit this process and submit one or more questions to the voters before that time, which would be hurried and underdeveloped. A rushed process would only undermine the Commission’s ability to successfully carry out its stated mission of reviewing the entire City Charter and put
forward thoughtful proposals,” Adams said. “I urge the Commission to avoid this detrimental outcome that would risk significant harm to good governance and democracy in New York City.”
The council called out the CRC “for trying to block voters’ rights and undermine local democracy by rushing the development of new proposals that disenfranchise New Yorkers from voting on an existing advice-and-consent ballot question in November. The elected representatives of districts throughout the city had urged the Mayor’s Commission to instead use its full term to fulfill its responsibility, thoroughly reviewing the City Charter and developing proposals for the 2025 General Election with more extensive policy assessment and public engagement.”
Council spokesperson Julia Agos issued the following statement in response to the commission’s final report being released: “This Mayor’s sham Charter Revision Commission has done a disservice to New Yorkers by putting forward rushed proposals that block voters’ rights while undermining democracy and oversight of the Mayor’s administration. The lack of independence of the Mayor’s Commission has made a mockery of what should be a serious process, with their last hearing consisting of commissioners asking testifiers how many votes the Mayor received in the election and inaccurately claiming it was millions. This final report mirrors the commission’s rushed process with it issuing its final report less than 24 hours after this final hearing with hours of public testimony.
“The Mayor’s commission has put forward proposals that impact the Council
without engaging us as the entity affected, different from the Council’s legislative process that the Mayor’s Commission has consistently attacked. It has engaged in a legislative process and failed to meet even the most basic requirements for openness and transparency that would be a fraction of the Council’s process. The Council urges this Commission and the Mayor’s Administration to avert this unnecessary and obvious disenfranchisement of voters. Let New Yorkers decide on the existing advice-and-consent ballot question this year instead of continuing with this undemocratic sham.”
“The Mayor’s Charter Revision Commission should undertake a serious and thorough review of the entire City Charter and adequately engage the public—not rush through the process in less than two months just to meet the Aug. 5 deadline to submit questions for this year’s General Election,” Councilman Jim Gennaro (D-Hillcrest) said. “Recent Charter Revision Commissions have taken their time over several months to promote reform by meaningfully engaging the public in the process, but Mayor Adams’ Commission has rushed to alter the City’s Charter in less than two months. The effect of the latter would be to block voters from deciding on an existing proposal to expand advice and consent.”
Councilman Shekar Krishnan (D-Jackson Heights) said, “I am proud to be the first Indian-American elected to the New York City Council and everyday I strive to ensure that the diverse communities of my district are heard and represented when reviewing legislation or negotiating the budget. That is why I am troubled by the commission’s efforts to undermine the will of the communities I represent by using its power to hastily submit ballot proposals and delay voters from deciding whether they want to expand the advice and consent process for commissioners of mayoral agencies.”
Councilman Lincoln Restler (DBrooklyn), chairman of the Committee on Governmental Operations, State & Federal Legislation, added, “This Commission first met on May 29, 2024 – just over two months before final ballot language must be submitted. No other Charter Revision Commission in recent history has ever operated on such an accelerated timeline. Further, this Commission has conducted only twelve public hearings and forums – short of the 15 that were conducted in 2018 or the 30+ hearings conducted by the 1989 Commission. The initial round of hearings was also announced with little notice or publication, leading to sparsely attended sessions, and the last round of hearings is being held only two weeks before final ballot language is due. Public engagement is critical to the charter revision process, and it is clear that this hastily convened commission is not seeking real public feedback.”
Photo Courtesy of John McCarten/NYC Council Media Unit
Speaker Adrienne Adams and others rally on Thursday in opposition to the mayor’s proposed charter revisions.
Mayor Nominates Randy Mastro to Serve as City’s Corporation Counsel
By Forum Staff
Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday nominated Randy Mastro as the City’s next corporation counsel.
Mastro, a nationally-recognized litigator with a history of public service—including serving as deputy mayor and City Hall chief of staff in the Giuliani administration—is a partner at the law firm King and Spalding. He also served as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
As corporation counsel, Mastro will lead the City Department of Law, which is primarily responsible for providing legal representation to the City—for the Mayor’s Office, the Public Advocate’s Office, the Comptroller’s Office, City agencies, and the City Council—in all affirmative and defensive civil litigation, Adams noted.
“I am humbled and honored to have this opportunity to return to city government. I am a passionate advocate in the courtroom and a proud New Yorker who loves this city,” Mastro said. “So, when presented with this chance of a lifetime to use my legal skills to harness the power of government to do good and improve New Yorkers’ lives, I am answering the call. I stand on the shoulders of giants who held this position
before me and led a Law Department that has set the standard for excellence in public representation. And I will work tirelessly to deliver the best legal services possible and achieve affirmative successes for the benefit of all New Yorkers.”
Mastro also has an extensive record of litigating cases on a pro bono basis, including representing peaceful racial justice demonstrators in Washington, D.C.
against the Trump administration after they were brutally and abruptly cleared from Lafayette Park with tear gas to make way for a photo op for former President Donald Trump, defending a public-school teacher fired for giving her class an assignment on racism, and successfully advocating for the families of fallen Sept. 11 firefighters that were entitled to millions in donations.
The City Council has made clear that this nomination will not be rubber stamped.
“As the top attorney for New York City, the Corporation Counsel has the special responsibility of representing all of City government, which includes its agencies and all elected officials. The person in this role must have the faith of all city officials and the talented attorneys in the Law Department,” Council spokesperson Julia Agos wrote in a statement issued on Tuesday. “Voters overwhelmingly decided to give the City Council the authority of advice-and-consent for Corporation Counsel in 2019, a proposal that emerged from decades of concerns regarding incidents where the City’s top attorney appeared to prioritize the interests of the mayor over those of the City overall. The Council takes this important duty seriously, and once a nomination is formally received at a Stated Meeting, will perform its charter-mandated responsibility to consider the nominee within 30 days. As part of a transparent public process, a forthcoming hearing will be scheduled that allows for thorough examination, public comment, and due consideration.”
If confirmed, Mastro will replace Acting Corporation Counsel Muriel GoodeTrufant.
Photo Courtesy of NYC Mayor’s Office
Randy Mastro
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MTA Holds Public Hearing for Queens Bus Network Redesign Proposed Final Plan
By Michael V. Cusenza
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority last Wednesday held a public hearing for the Queens Bus Network Redesign Proposed Final Plan. Bus riders had a final chance to comment on the Proposed Final Plan and offer feedback before planners make revisions and present the Proposed Final Plan Addendum to the MTA Board.
Members of the public were able to comment on the proposed draft plan in person or via Zoom, with 75 speakers participating. Each speaker was given up to two minutes to address a panel of MTA representatives that included NYC Transit Interim President Demetrius Crichlow, NYC Transit Chief of Operations Planning Chris Pangilinan, and NYC Transit Senior Vice President of Buses Frank Annicaro.
The Queens Bus Network Redesign is the largest redesign the Authority has undertaken to date. Officials took a fresh look at 113 bus routes that serve nearly 800,000 bus riders in the borough to enhance bus reliability, speed, and provide better connections.
“Our bus lines have not kept up with the pace of growth in this borough for a very long time,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “Transit equity is central to ensuring that every person in this borough has a fighting chance to get to employment, to their place of service, to their house of worship – I implore the public to get out and get their voices heard as we continue to work with the MTA, local
legislators, and community boards.”
Back in March 2022, the MTA released the Queens Bus Network Redesign’s New Draft Plan, which reflected over 11,000 comments received during the first round of public engagement.
Two years ago, the MTA listed reasons for a complete borough bus network redesign:
Service Reliability • Our customers told us that Queens buses are often slow and stuck in traffic. • The On-Time Performance for Queens bus routes decreased by 12 percent from 2014 to 2018. • Queens had a Customer Journey Time Performance (CJTP) of 70 percent prior to the pandemic; CJTP measures the percentage of trips successfully made not more than five minutes later than scheduled. • As bus service becomes less reliable due to congestion, particularly in areas such as downtown Flushing and Jamaica, the effects are experienced by the majority of Queens bus customers. • During the height of the pandemic, service reliability briefly improved due to less traffic on the roads; however, much of that congestion has since returned, and reliability has begun to decrease back to pre-pandemic levels.
Bus Speeds • Prior to the pandemic, bus speeds had been declining systemwide for a number of years. Congestion, particularly in areas such as downtown Flushing and Jamaica, are an ongoing challenge to providing fast and reliable bus service for Queens residents and employees. • In 2019, average bus speeds in Queens were the second
highest of the five boroughs at 8.7 miles per hour, however that number is a 3.3 percent decrease from the average speed in 2015 (9 mph). Even a small decrease in bus speed can have a cascading effect on a customer’s overall travel time. • Slower bus speeds reduce route reliability and decrease productivity, further deterring would-be customers from choosing to take the bus. • Congestion is the leading cause of declining bus speeds and service reliability in Queens. It is often worse on key corridors and choke points, amplifying its detrimental effect on bus speeds, and in turn the reliability of bus service. • During the height of the pandemic, bus speeds briefly increased due to less traffic on the roads; however, much of that congestion has since returned and bus speeds have begun to slow back down to pre-pandemic levels. Ridership Decline • Bus ridership in Queens fell 5.3 percent from 2014 to 2019—a decrease of about 40,000 average daily boardings. • The decline in ridership can be attributed to a variety of factors, including slower bus speeds, decreased reliability, modal shifts to other transportation, including the subway and Transportation Network Companies (TNCs), and demographic changes. • During the height of the pandemic, bus ridership in Queens fell to roughly 46 percent of pre-pandemic levels; however, ridership has slowly continued to recover as customers return to their daily activities.
Plan highlights include: More direct routes. Implementing more direct routes allows for faster service.
Downtown Flushing and Jamaica are areas where effects of congestion hinder bus service. A contributing factor to this congestion are bus routes that terminate in these areas. A series of proposed routes that serve downtown Flushing and Jamaica will travel through these congested areas, instead of terminating there.
Balanced Bus Stop Spacing. Removing and adjusting closely spaced bus stops along routes results in fewer route turns and faster service. The seconds saved per trip by having fewer bus stops have a positive cascading effect on overall travel times.
Bus stop placement is also key in filling gaps in the bus network; proximity to key destinations and transfer points are important components in deciding bus stop locations. In the proposed redesigned draft plan, placement of bus stops expands the reach of accessible public transportation.
Enhanced Connectivity. The proposed redesign presents new connections, enhancing connectivity at key transfer locations necessary to ensure customers have a smooth transition between buses and other modes of public transportation. The plan focuses on expanding connectivity to ADA accessible subway stations, including stations that have been identified to receive accessibility upgrades in the near future.
Bus Priority. The MTA will continue working with the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) to build upon existing efforts of expanding bus priority improvements on corridors throughout the city, implementing measures such as dedicated bus lanes, queue jumps, and transit signal priority.
Improved Accessibility and Customer Experience. The MTA and DOT will continue to work to increase bus stop accessibility throughout the borough and citywide, along with the roll out of real-time digital service information screens on buses, and countdown clocks at bus stops. Approach any straphanger or elected official and they’ll tell you that a borough bus revolution has been sorely needed for decades.
“My district is a transportation desert, and increasing my constituents’ options to get around the city and borough is critical,” City Councilman Bob Holden (D-Maspeth) said in 2022.
The formal comment period for the Proposed Final Plan concluded on Friday, July 26.
The project team will review all comments and make final adjustments to the plan, which will be reflected in the Proposed Final Plan Addendum. The plan will be presented to the MTA Board for a vote at a later date to be announced.
“This is personal for me—I rode the Q5 to and from work in Southeast Queens for years and I know how much Queens relies on its buses,” Crichlow added on Wednesday. “I am confident this redesign will give Queens the modern bus network its riders deserve.”
Photo Courtesy of MTA
Last Wednesday’s public hearing was held at Helen Marshall Cultural Center at Borough Hall.
City, MTA Launch Expanded Student OMNY Cards
By Michael V. Cusenza
Starting this fall, eligible pupils will receive Student OMNY cards, instead of the MetroCards that have been distributed citywide to students since 1997, Mayor Eric Adams, Schools Chancellor David Banks, and Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber announced on Thursday.
The new Student OMNY cards will be valid 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, with up to four free rides a day. These changes will significantly expand flexibility for student travel, as students were previously limited to only three free rides each day from only 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and the cards could only be used on days when the student’s school was open for class.
Eligibility is based on a student’s grade level, walking distance between home and school, and existing accommodations based on a medical condition, housing status, or safety assessment. Visit schools.nyc. gov/school-life/transportation/bus-eligibility for more information on transportation eligibility.
Adams characterized the expanded Student OMNY cards as “a gamechanger for families across New York City, particularly for working-class families that need just a little more help to afford our city — fami-
lies where older siblings pick their younger brothers and sisters up from school, or where kids have after-school and summer jobs to help make ends meet. This builds on the work we’ve done to make our city more accessible, particularly for young people and low-income New Yorkers. From our subways, to our ferries, to our greenways, we’re making it easier and more affordable to get around New York City.”
Student OMNY cards will be valid on the MTA’s subway lines; on local, limited, and Select buses; on the Staten Island Railway; on the Roosevelt Island Tram; and on Hudson Rail link; and will include free transfers from one mode to another. Students will also now keep the same card for the entire year, through the summer. The expanded benefits provide the foundation for City students to learn how to utilize the
public transit system and build a culture of tapping.
The cards will be distributed to students at the start of the school year by each individual school across the five boroughs. In addition to the cards, students will also receive promotional flyers outlining the benefits of the enhanced program. The MTA and City public schools will work together to evaluate and promote card usage across school districts.
“Hundreds of thousands of our children rely on public transit to commute to school and it’s time we put them on the express train to success,” said Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Woodhaven). “We will make their commute the most convenient and accessible it has ever been with the implementation of Student OMNY cards, combined with the expansion from three free rides a day to four. These OMNY cards will allow students to ride our world class transit system to earn a world class education, while also providing them extra rides for enriching extracurricular activities. I am proud to partner with the mayor and MTA chair to make public transportation affordable and accessible for the next generation.”
OMNY stands for One Metro New York. More information about Student OMNY cards is available on YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=hDKrlq8Kp5U
Adams Touts ‘Record-Breaking’ Affordable Housing Numbers
By Forum Staff
Mayor Eric Adams on Monday boasted about his administration’s back-to-back record-breaking years producing and connecting New Yorkers to new, affordable homes.
For the second year in a row, the City has produced the most supportive housing and housing for formerly homeless New Yorkers, Adams said. As the city faces a generational housing shortage and an affordability crisis, the administration, this year, financed the most new affordable homes in history.
Following decades of disinvestment, the City also converted 3,678 New York City Housing Authority apartments into newly renovated residences. The Adams administration additionally moved a record number of homeless New Yorkers into permanent housing through the highest usage of City Fighting Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement (CityFHEPS) housing vouchers, affordable housing through the city’s housing lottery program, and placing formerly homeless households into permanently-affordable housing. In total, city agencies financed a combined 28,944 affordable and public housing units in Fiscal Year 2024 through new construction and preservation initiatives.
Adams said the administration is continuing to prioritize transitioning home-
“These record-breaking years are the result of countless City agencies coming together to make sure all New Yorkers — from our formerly homeless to families at the edge of poverty to those just struggling to make ends meet — have access to safe, stable housing,” Mayor Adams said.
less New Yorkers from streets, subways, and homeless shelters into stable, permanent housing. In FY24, the City built the highest ever count of supportive homes and homes for the homeless in the city's history, and increased production of housing for the formerly homeless by 15 percent.
More New Yorkers are being connected to affordable housing at a faster rate. The City Department of Housing Preserva-
tion and Development approved 9,550 households for new housing lotteries, connected 3,990 homeless households to permanently affordable homes, and marketed a record 315 housing lotteries through Housing Connect. HPD exceeded its fi scal year completions target by more than 40 percent, completing a total 21,159 units of affordable housing.
The City Department of Social Services helped 16,902 households move out of
shelter and into permanent housing over FY24, 12,526 of which were placed into subsidized permanent housing — a more than 20 percent increase over FY23. DSS had back-to-back record-breaking years connecting New Yorkers to housing using CityFHEPS vouchers.
“Over back-to-back years, our administration has faced a housing crisis headon by building and connecting more New Yorkers than ever to affordable housing,” Adams said. “These record-breaking years are the result of countless City agencies coming together to make sure all New Yorkers — from our formerly homeless to families at the edge of poverty to those just struggling to make ends meet — have access to safe, stable housing. While today we celebrate our progress, tomorrow we get back to work and aim even higher. ‘City of Yes for Housing Opportunity’ is another tool we have to produce over 108,000 new homes that our city needs and deserves in the next 15 years. Today, I’m calling on all of our partners in government to come together and say ‘yes’ to helping the City build its way out of this crisis.”
Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (DWoodhaven) added, “In a city where half of tenants are rent-burdened, we will continue to implement every policy so that all New Yorkers have safe, affordable housing.”
Photo Courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office
Photo Courtesy of MTA
Mayor Adams called the expanded Student OMNY cards “a gamechanger…”
HUSSAIN AUTO RENTAL LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/26/24. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to ZENBUSINESS INC., 41 STATE STREET, SUITE 112, ALBANY, NY, 12207, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of Formation of REMYV LLC Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/30/2024. Office in Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to RENE VIVALDO, 8309 BREVOORT ST, APT. 1B, KEW GARDENS, NY, 11415, USA Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
KAKES BRANDS LLC. Filed 10/5/2023. Office: Queens Co. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 54 STATE STREET, STE 804, ALBANY, NY 12207. Purpose: General..
Notice of Formation of ASSETACE LLC Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/24/2024. Office in Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Zenbusiness Inc.41 State Street, Suite 112 Albany, NY, 12207, USA Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of Formation of TN CONSULTING LLC Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/21/2024. Office in Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Zenbusiness Inc.41 State Street, Suite 112 Albany, NY, 12207, USA Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of Formation of PARADIES LAGARDERE @ JFK T1 RETAIL, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/25/24. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of formation of RISING ESTATE of MP LLC. Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 06/17/24. Office in Queens Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 24-30 46th Street, Astoria, New York 11103. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Legal Notices
LENA METELEV REAL ESTATE GROUP LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 05/10/24. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 187-24 Union Turnpike, Fresh Meadows, NY 11366. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
CLAUDIA JETTE LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/12/24. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to ZENBUSINESS INC., 41 STATE STREET, SUITE 112, ALBANY, NY, 12207, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of Formation of 8227 Tryon Place LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with NY Dept. of State: 7/8/2024. Office location: Queens County. Sec. of State designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: 82-27 Tryon Place, Jamaica, NY 11432, principal business address. Term: until 12/31/2070. Purpose: all lawful purposes.
Notice of formation of NISAA ADVANCING MATERNAL HEALTH EQUITY LLC NISAA Advancing Maternal Health Equity LLC filed Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 05/02/2024. Office location: Queens County. SSNY is designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to the LLC at 30-06 29th Street, 2F, Astoria, NY 11102-2501. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
JJC COMMUNICATIONS LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 05/12/24. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. JETTY-JANE CONNOR, 85-10 34TH AVE, APT 613, QUEENS, NY, 11372, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
4 BEAST TOYS LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/24/24. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to ZENBUSINESS INC., 41 STATE STREET, SUITE 112, ALBANY, NY, 12207, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of Formation of TJB BASKETBALL LLC Arts. of Org. filed with NY Dept. of State: 7/11/2024. Office location: Queens County. Sec. of State designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: TIM BUCKLEY, 21216 38TH AVENUE, FLUSHING NY, 13361, USA.. Purpose: all lawful purposes.
NEW YORK FACILITY MAINTENANCE, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/18/24. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to ZENBUSINESS INC., 41 STATE STREET, SUITE 112, ALBANY, NY, 12207, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
QC PRODUCTIONS LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/18/2024. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: JOHN CARL MURACO, 15910 95TH ST.,HOWARD BEACH, NY, 11414. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
BRX 1 LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/19/2024. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 37-20 58th Street, Woodside, NY 11377. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
GO BE A KID LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/30/24. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to ZENBUSINESS INC., 41 STATE STREET, SUITE 112, ALBANY, NY, 12207, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
FENIX DESIGN CONSULTANTS
LFG, LLC, filed articles of organization with the NY Secretary of State on M ARCH 10,2024. Office: QUEENS COUNTY. SARA NGAN is designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. NY Secretary of State shall mail copy of process to SARA NGAN at 5-11 47TH AVENUE, APT 4Y, LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 11101. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF QUEENS.
NYCTL 2021-A TRUST AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, AS COLLATERAL AGENT AND CUSTODIAN, Plaintiffs -againstUNITED HOLINESS CHURCH OF GOD, INC., et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered herein on May 31, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, 88-11 Sutphin Blvd., in Courtroom # 25, Jamaica, NY on August 30, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Queens, County of Queens, City and State of New York, known and designated as Block 11947 and Lot 283 on the Queens County Tax Assessment Map. Said premises known as 109-12 SUTPHIN BLVD, JAMAICA, NY 11435 Approximate amount of lien $15,848.40 plus interest & costs.Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 709077/2023.
MARTHA A. TAYLOR, ESQ., Referee Phillips Lytle LLP
Attorney(s) for Plaintiffs 28 East Main Street, Suite 1400, Rochester, NY 14614
KMCD CONSULTING LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/30/24. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to ZENBUSINESS INC., 41 STATE STREET, SUITE 112, ALBANY, NY, 12207, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
L. VEGA REALTY LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/25/2024. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 1679 Linden St, Ridgewood, NY 11385. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
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